That Is What A Hero Would Do
by lakeySQ
Summary: Post / Season 5 SwanQueen. Story will start right after the last scene on the premiere episode. Will probably be multi chapter and M but marked as complete for now. / Re uploaded due to categorizing mistakes.


**Author's notes: This would not leave me alone so I finally gave in and wrote it down. There might be some inaccuracies and that's because I haven't watched the show for a long time. I did watch the season five premiere however due to friends urging.**

 **Mistakes are mine. I don't have a beta and English is not my first language.**

* * *

The dark weather pounded hard on the streets of Storybrooke. Thunder rolled, lighting clapped and the torrential rain cam down in sheets as the wind blew, slowly rattling anything loose and can be uprooted. Everyone's taken cover and tried to find someplace to hide, afraid that the rain was more than what it was. Afraid that the only person who was on the streets will saw them as her next target.

Emma Swan stood in the middle of the storm and laid her fiery eyes on the town that represented everything for her. As much as it was happy, it was also tainted with deep sorrow and blood shed. The later leaving a gaping hole in her pure heart that was taken advantage of the darkness that she willingly took on. It didn't happen easily, Emma fought as hard as she can to not listen to the Rumple sounding voice in her head but as the days wore on, it became harder and harder. It wasn't just her that was trying, everyone pitched in and made it as easy as possible for her but it had something to grab on and it didn't let go. It wore her down and after one particularly dreadful event in Camelot, Emma Swan embraced the darkness completely.

It was surprisingly easy for her. The little niggling voice that stopped her in the beginning was replaced by the seductive melody of incredible power on her fingertips. As soon as they landed on the God forsaken town, Emma started the destruction. With the ground work laid down, she sought the rest of the people that was with her back in Camelot. Typical good person behavior, they pleaded that she stop the distraction. Emma only sneered, they can sing that tune all night long but that wouldn't make even a dent to her determination in pulverizing everything in sight. After she dropped that they all need to be punished and rightfully so, she walked out of the Diner and continued what she has started.

The first to go was the clock tower. She redirected a lightning from the sky and routed it to the iconic piece, shattering the clock mechanism and exploding the power lines near. Electricity went out everywhere and she took a satisfied breathe in being surrounded by playing shade. With her powers came a heightened sense of hearing and she relished all the scared gasps and trembles of the people in the town, she also heard her parents formulating a plan on how to stop her.

'By unicorns and rainbow stickers? Been there, done that.'

She summoned her powers once more and made the ground shake. Cries were heard, now even without her ability to do so from afar, and she intensified it even more. The pavement cracked, jagged lines running from were she was located and to the whole town. She opened her palms and positioned it on her feet, making the bed rock lift up, creating a mini mountain of concrete with her on top. There Emma could see people running to safety and she mockingly laughed. There was no safety.

'Emma!' Hook screamed. He had a his hook above his head in attempt to shield him from the rain. 'Stop this, this instant!'

The order made her left eye twitch. To think this dirty pirate can tell her what to do was a serious insult. 'No one orders the dark one.' She snapped and suddenly Hook was bound by invisible ropes and was lifted from the ground, brought closer to her. 'Talk to me in that tone of voice again and I will snap your neck, _pirate_.'

'Emma, don't do this. Don't...'

She made her pointer finger circle and Hook couldn't speak. Another invisible rope was placed, now on his throat and it constricted his air flow. 'What was that?'

'E... mma... Pl...ease...'

'Wrong answer.'

The noose tightened and Hook opened her mouth in desperate attempts of taking in some air to his lungs. Color in his face started to ashen and with Emma pulling the strings even more, he eventually lost consciousness.

'You have darkness in you, pirate. I may have use for you in the future.' She flicked and Hook was thrown to the side like a rag doll.

What she has done so far wasn't inspiring fright in them so far so she turned it up a notch. Killing the rain, Emma turned to the library and created a fireball in her hand. The fire roared and got bigger before it was thrown to the building. Yellow orange blaze crawled through the panels and windows and soon enough the brightness of the Belle's favorite place was blinding. She heard a gasp and saw the book lover watch as everything she adored burned to ashes.

'Emma.. How could you..'

'I suggest you be careful with your words, short cake or else you'd end up like Hook over there.'

Emma made another fireball, a smaller one and threw it at Belle. The brunette scampered just in time for it to not hit her and hid in an alley in between houses.

'Weak. Is anyone else gonna challenge me? Huh?' She turned her hand inward to a fist and snapped it at the air, like how one would do if holding a whip. This created another wave that broke the cement and sent the ground moving again. 'Stop hiding!' Her voice boomed and finally two men came out. When she saw the first one, Emma scoffed. 'Robin Hood. Don't tell me you're gonna fight me with your little sticks.'

'Emma, please just-'

'Please? Do you think we know each other well enough for that to work?'

'Emma-'

'You don't get to speak, Hobo!'

The two flinched.

'I think you'd want to come back to your little forest friends, huh? Why don't we do that?' Emma winded her hand back and moved it forward, the motion taking the archer and scrapping him against the ground. The man screamed but she couldn't care less and continued to use her power until Robin was all out of their sights.

'Emma! That is enough!' Charming pipped up and unsheathed his sword.

'Dad... Are you really going to fight me? You're just a shepherd... What are you gonna do, heard me?'

'Emma, you need to get a hold of yourself. Please think of your family... please think of Henry... Don't do this.'

The solid block that was on her face chipped away slightly. Charming smiled at this, thinking that she got through to her own daughter but it pieced itself back together again and now Emma's angrier than ever. 'I grew up an orphan because of you... I had to be passed around houses, abused by older brothers, starved- It's all because of you and you're gonna pay.'

'Emma!-'

Charming was lifted and slammed to a nearby building. He groaned in pain, then coughed up blood since it was his back that hit the wall. He skidded down and fell on a canopy, rolling and tumbling to the ground in a lifeless heap. More blood came out of his mouth and he reached out to her daughter for one last time before he lost consciousness.

'This is too easy...' She came down from her concrete mountain and started to walk on the broken path, looking for all the rest of the gang.

* * *

'Henry, no! You will not go out to convince your mother!' Regina blockaded the door to Granny's with herself. 'You are gonna stay here with Snow and protect your uncle!'

'Mom, I can convince her to stop doing this!'

The ground shook once more and they held on to the closest thing available.

'Henry, your mother is too far gone. No one can stop her.'

'Well someone has to! Hook, Robin and Gramps aren't coming back.. What if they're...' Henry shook his head, annoyed that he started to cry. 'I can stop her, Mom.'

Regina started to get choked up as well. 'I am not letting her hurt you.'

'Regina, we have to do something.' said Snow.

'We tried for six weeks to rid her of darkness, Snow. I don't think there's anything else to do.'

Henry walked to her mother. 'We have to try, Mom. Please...'

'I have to protect you all first. Henry, stay with Snow and go out the back. Go to my office, I think they are still remnants of the blood lock there. I'll go to Rumple's and see if he has something of use. We need a distraction.' She eyed the dwarves. 'You say you're always on the side lines, now is the time to step up.'

'How are we gonna measure up to the dark one, sister?' Leroy asked.

'You don't need to fight, you just need to distract her. Run in different directions, I don't know. We need to move now, so are you in or out?'

The dwarves looked to each other and nodded. 'We're doing it.'

'Okay, go.'

They all filtered out and briefly the strong wind came in small room, bringing some fallen leaves and newspapers with it. When the door closed, Regina raised her hands and light red magic emanated from it, forming a sphere around Snow and Henry. She concentrated even more and the walls of the bubble got thicker and harder to penetrate. Henry, amused, started poking the protective barrier and it somewhat shocked him.

'Are we gonna have to roll in this, Mom? I don't think Neal can even crawl yet...'

'No, it's gonna disappear after a few minutes but you'll still be protected. Now, go, we don't have a lot of time.' Regina waved a hand in front of her and she was dressed more appropriately for battle.

'Mom, please promise me, I'll see you again.' Henry said sorrowfully.

Regina knew she couldn't make that promise. Emma was on a war path and for someone who has danced with the darkness herself, she knew just how much it destroys you inside and whoever stands in it's way. This may very well be the last time she'll see his son but for his safety, Regina will do anything. She didn't want to lie so she settled with a good median. 'I'll try. I love you, Henry. Never forget that. Snow, please take care of him.'

Snow nodded and also looked somber. She was their only hope and with Regina herself was giving up, there might not be any out to this.

'Go.'

They both walked out the door, Henry throwing looks at her mother. When they were both officially out of the establishment, Regina slipped out the side and checked her surrounding. For a minute or so of her walking, it was quiet. Nothing but the strong gust of wind and the occasional zapping of open electrical lines. She was crossing the street when she heard it, the cries of agony from a distinct voice. Leroy.

'Sister! Sister! Please... Please don't kill me!'

Then came the evil laugh of Emma and the stifled screams. 'You're too unimportant to kill, drunkard. I want to have some fun with you three so I'm gonna make you choose. Do you wanna be deaf, mute or blind?'

Doc came out from hiding and raised his hands to make himself known. 'No, please Saviour don't do that to us...'

At the use of the word, Emma growled. She let go of Leroy, causing him to drop to the ground and scurry away. 'There is no Saviour in this town anymore!' She screamed. Hundreds of lightning came down at the streets, hitting different holes from the earlier display of anger.

One nearly got Regina had she not poofed herself fast enough. She reappeared at Rumple's store doorstep and quickly magicked the door open. The former dark one was still in a coma so the brunette ransacked the place for whatever could help them. There were a lot of magical remnants in the place but not one seemed to be the key to freeing Emma. She was on the third shelf when Regina started to get desperate and just started breaking things. They had been through this already and it didn't do anything, there was nothing that could be-

 _Wait._

Regina was desperate enough. She ran to the cot that contained Rumple and shook the old man, blindly hoping that the motion will snap him out of his two month long sleep. It was crazy and Evil Queen will probably laugh her out of the room but if someone would know, it would be him. After he lost everything, Rumple enjoyed the darkness too much to think of how to remove it but Regina was sure he had some idea.

'Rumple! Rumple! You old shaggy hair bastard! Wake up!' Regina pushed, shook and even punched him in the chest but nothing worked. 'Wake up, you son of a bitch! Wake up!'

'You know he's in a coma right?' Came the dulcet toned taunt.

The brunette's shoulders jumped and she turned to Emma, looking amused at whatever she was doing. 'Emma...' She wasn't one to be scared but the look on the green eyes made her stood up and a take a couple steps back.

'Dwarves, really? I'm actually insulted that you would send them to distract me.'

'It was enough to keep you occupied. I'd say it's effective.' She squared her stance and tried to look unfazed.

'Is that your Charlie's Angels pose, _dear_?' Emma chuckled darkly before she slowly came closer, each step echoing louder than the last. She saw Regina swallow and knew that she has won. The former Evil Queen was one that she expected the most fight with but from the way she was acting, it would seem that there won't be much fight at all. That opened door B, playing with the opponent. Soon enough, they were toe to toe and the corners of her mouth lifted to a half smile. 'I've been looking for you.'

'Well, you found me. What are you gonna do?'

'I'm gonna kill you.'

She lifted two fingers and Regina felt a strong hand on her neck, cutting off air immediately. Manicured fingers clawed near her collarbone and tried to wave her hand to stop the force but after a couple gestures, nothing happened. Emma's white magic somehow boosted the dark one's power, rendering the brunette helpless.

'Em... m... a...' The hand that was up trembled and the larynx was almost crushed. Blood rushed to Regina's head, clouding her thinking for a second or so but a blink to the side of the room gave her some hope. She moved her hand from left to right and closed her eyes as the floating vial exploded in Emma's face.

'Ugh!' Emma grunted as she felt the effects, irritating her eyes and leaving her without sight. She blinked and snapped the dust away but it didn't take away the consequences. 'You fucking bitch!'

Regina doubled over and eventually dropped on the floor, chest heaving. Emma reached out for her so she got out of her spot and wobbled to the front of the shop, frantically finding anything else that she could defend herself with. She gathered a couple more bottles before Emma jumped at her and they both ended up on the ground. Everything shattered and the bottles essences lifted, threatening to affect both of them. Quickly, Regina waved them off and it left them with physical fight for dominance.

Helped with her current powers, the dust's powers burned quickly and Emma had her eye sight. 'Nice try your majesty, I'll give you that but I'm gonna have to kill you now.'

'You're good. You wont.' Regina overpowered Emma and had her underneath.

'Oh, really?' Emma's hands left Regina's and transferred to her neck again and with a swung to the left, their positions changed. Even before, Emma has always been stronger than the Mayor so getting the upper hand in this came pretty easy. 'I'm not anymore. Why do you think I killed your precious Robin?'

Regina's eyes widened as she started to flail around, legs trying to hook on Emma's, hands on the pair on her neck, trying to pry it off. 'E... mm... a... P...l...e...as...e...'

'Pleading, from the Evil Queen. That's rich.' Her nose flared as she took a deep breathe in and pushed further.

Blood once more rushed to Regina's head and the lack of oxygen made her lightheaded. Her eyes slipped closed and getting them to open back up took an inhuman effort. This is the end. Her life would end at the hands of the woman she previously hated, admired, and even loved. In her dying thoughts, she finally admitted to herself that she loved this woman. They fought, they worked together, they learned to respect each other, they trusted each other, they saved each other. It was destiny's cruel joke that the woman who saved her from the power that's pushing Emma was the one that's killing her now. Their position allowed one last tiny breathe before Regina's world turned to-

'You know what?' Emma retracted her hands and she sat on the Mayor's hip, landing her in the fully straddling position. Regina grabbed this chance to get the circulation back and took a couple sharp inhales. 'There's one thing that I've always wanted to do and before I kill you, I think I will.'

Regina was still coughing and delirious, turning her head to the right in a pathetic attempt to stop anymore attempts at her life. 'Em.. uh.. I'm...'

'I like you quiet, Madame Mayor. You've always had a sharp retort for every single thing.' She forcefully turned the head and smirked at she looked. Emma even brushed the black locks that feel on her forehead and proceeded to cup the pale cheeks. 'You're quite beautiful, do you know that? Such a shame that I have to mar such a pretty face.'

'Keep... Henry... safe, Emma.'

Her eyes narrowed at the request. 'How much of a monster do you think I am that I would hurt my own son?!'

'You're...' Regina huffed. 'You're not a monster, Emma Swan...'

'If that's aimed to pull at my heart strings, you've sorely underestimated how much the darkness is now rooted in me. I just need to do one thing and I'm gonna end your life.'

Regina closed her eyes. The rage she displayed over being doubted of her intentions over Henry secured her that their son will be safe. This was the end and she's accepted it already. Her hands gave out and laid limp on the cold floor. 'I love...'

Emma didn't let her finish and swooped down, planting her lips on the plump ones of the former Evil Queen. A second after they touched a blinding white light exploded from their fused parts and traveled everywhere in a circular beam. It penetrated the walls of the shop, the thin ply wood of Granny's, the concrete partition of the Mayor's office to the trees in the deepest of the forest. The past few years played behind her eyelids, from the first moment she saw Regina to the moment she sacrificed herself for the woman. It was too fast, it made her dizzy, it made her feel overwhelmed. Feelings that were buried and ignored came up swinging and it attacked her like a wreckling ball. 'Regina...'

She was gonna say more when she felt as if her body was splitting into two, the fully ingrained darkness was leaving her body and it felt like every nerve ending in her body was being sliced in half. Emma dropped completely on Regina as her body arched, the swirling black noodles were back, slowly lifting from the blonde and taking away all the evil that it offered. She shook and contorted, trying to get to a position where in didn't hurt as much but it was for naught. What she felt when she first took it was nothing as to how this felt, the pain intensified to a hundred folds, making her tear up. It took a couple more moments of torment before the darkness finally left her body.

'Fucking fuck, that hurt...' She whispered. Emma closed her eyes and let her body recuperate. Good thing, the effects didn't last and in no time, she felt better, she felt lighter. Her light magic paraded back in her body, fixing every gaping hole left. Well enough to concentrate, Emma thought of her white magic and commanded it what to do. After being engulfed in sparkling, crackling white mist, she felt like herself again.

With all her faculties intact, she noticed the woman she was probably crushing. 'Oh my god, Regina!' She sat on her hips again and took the face on her palms. 'Regina! Oh god, please wake up... I'm so sorry... please wake up...' There was no response and tears started to form on her lids. She did this. Albeit still faint, bruises from their altercation earlier were already forming on her long neck. The indentations were clear and it scared Emma that she could do this much evil. 'Regina, please...'

 _I did this._

The tears fell and Emma laid her forehead against the brunette. 'Regina, please... Please wake up... I... I love you. Please, please wake up...'

She kissed the cold lips, seeing if their magic will bring Regina back. Then another kiss. And another one. Finally a long one but still nothing. If they really are true loves, it should've worked. She should've had Regina back by now. 'Regina, I love you. Please wake-'

'Em...'

Emma gasped. She pulled away and gave her some space. 'Regina? Oh my god, you scared me. I love you so much.'

'Heal... me...'

'Heal you? Oh crap, yes. Wait, how am I gonna do that?' Emma looked at her hands, the same ones that brought her harm and she hesitated. She had no idea how to heal someone. What if she just hurts Regina further?

'You... can do it. Concn.. trate...'

Emma nodded, she thought of Regina being healthy then clapped her hands twice. Like how you would turn off a light with a clapper. It didn't work. 'Shit...' She tried putting her hands on her chest, feeling her breast but rationalizing that she's doing this to be nearest her heart. Emma willed her magic to flow from her to Regina. Thinking that it would help, she squeezed said breasts before closing her eyes.

'Emm... a!' Regina weakly slapped the hands away. 'Just... concentrate...'

'Right, sorry.' The hands were taken off and she did what was asked. Game face on, she thought about how much she loved Regina. She thought about how much she loved seeing her with Henry, seeing her smile, seeing her look at her like she loved her back. Warmth made her chest expand and when she opened her breathtaking greens, she saw white light coming from her hands. 'I'm doing it...'

'Yes, you are.' Regina acknowledged. Strength filtered back to her and when the white light vaporized, she sighed.

'Did I do it? Do you need more magic? Are you okay?' She checked the neck and while the marks were still there, Regina's complexion looked a lot better.

'I'm good. Thank you, Emma.'

'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, Regina. I would never hurt you like that again, I promise.' Emma blinked down before she looked up and said with all the sincerity she could muster, 'I love you, Regina. I love you so much. You're my true love and now that I know, I will never let you go again. I love you so much.'

'You do?'

'I do. I love you. Can I... kiss you again?'

Regina smiled as she reached up, threading her fingers to Emma's blonde hair that she missed and pulled her down. They kissed softly at first, getting used to new sensation of feeling each other's lips. It turned passionate once they both got past the shock but kept it on the shallow end. The kiss ended with three little alternating pecks from them both. 'I love you too, Emma.'

'You really did save me, Regina.'

'I always will.'

They shared one last kiss before Emma poised to stand up and help Regina get up right. The brunette kept close and had her arm around Emma's waist. 'Hold on, who's the new dark one? Where is the dark one's essence?'

'Right here, dearie...' Rumple walked from the back room and showed them a little bottle that looked like it's containing a storm.

'What? All this time, you're goddamn awake?'

'I woke up just in time. Protected by your white magic, the essence could not come to Regina. It was gonna come to me, getting me out of the coma so it can have a host and those few seconds were enough for me to grab this and trap it. Thank you for knocking my things on the floor by the way, this rolled within reach.' He said sarcastically. 'Let me just ring up the charges.'

'So, there's no more threat of that for Emma or me?'

'None.' Rumple's eyes focused on their position. 'Did you both solve this with true love?'

'So what if we did?' Emma asked defensively. 'I love Regina and she loves me.'

'A story for the books of course but what about your pirate and what about her thief? And what about your parents, dearie? Do you think they will be keen of the idea of your true love being their greatest enemy?' Rumple started picking up the broken shards of glass.

'Regina, come on. I'm not listening to this. I need to heal some people.' Emma cringed when she remembered what she did. 'I didn't kill Robin by the way, I just wanted to hurt you. I'm sorry.'

'That's... good to know.'

'Well, move along now. I'm sure they will all be relieved to know that you're no longer the dark one and that... she's your true love.'

Emma shook her head before she pulled Regina out of the store and on to the street. The damage done to the town was massive but Emma felt confident with Regina by her side. She felt like she could do anything. 'C'mon, I need to fix what I have done.'

'Wait.' Emma was so gung ho about their new found love and Regina felt uncomfortable. She did love Emma, with all her heart in fact but the situation they were in was too daunting for any notions of love. There were a lot to be considered and she was scared that if given the chance, Emma would climb back to the concrete mountain she made while being the dark one and shout her feelings. She cannot have that. As much as she hated to agree with Rumple, there were too many people involved, people that will get hurt.

'Babe, what is it? Make it fast, please.'

Regina needed to be unselfish. She needed to think about everyone first before herself, even if she is doing this for the both of them. That is what a hero would do. 'I love you, Emma.'

Emma smiled slightly. 'I love you too. I know it took me like 4 years and almost killing you to admit that but I do love you. I love you more than anything.' She leaned in for a brief kiss before taking her left hand.

'I'm sorry, I need to do this.'

'Do what?'

Regina waved the back of her hand to Emma's face, erasing her memory of them solving the problem with true loves kiss, realizing their feelings and verbalizing it. She let go of the blonde's hand and put some distance between them before finishing her work. Emma blinked a couple times before her eyes zeroed in on the woman in front of her.

'Regina? What happened? I'm... I'm back?'

'There's no time for explanation. There are a lot of people hurt and we need to save them.'

'Let's go.'

* * *

 _'Emma, you need to leave. Please.' Regina clutched the door and tried to push it close._

 _Emma was determined however and blocked it with her arm. 'I need to understand, Regina. Why don't you just tell me what happened?'_

 _Her hands trembled and her breathing slowed down to an alarming rate._ _She cannot do this now._ _Regina tried. She got rid of Robin, she distanced herself from Emma and she maintained a low key lifestyle, only getting out of the house when needed, only talking to people when necessary. But Emma sought her out. Went to her house, demanded that they hang out because she needed to thank the brunette for saving her life._

 _She cannot do this now._ _Emma can't know what actually happened when she already has resigned herself to living alone for the rest of her life. 'I already told you I found a vial that extracted and trapped the darkness from you. Why don't you believe me?'_

 _'Because I feel different! I feel like... I feel like I'm in love with you and I don't know why. I can't get you out of my head, Regina. You're all I think about and I can't explain it! Something happened. Something happened between us and I need to know.'_


End file.
